Gripper transfer mechanism for folded sheets



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United States Pam GRIPPER TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR FOLDED SHEETS Hans Mller, Zofingen, Switzerland Application October 11, 1955, Serial No. 539,889

Claims priority, application Switzerland November 22, 1954 4 Claims. (Cl. 270-54) The present invention relates to an applying machine for the paper industry and has the primary object of providing a machine of this kind which is suited for transferring folded printed sheets from a stack individually one after the other to a conveyor means supplying the said folded sheets to other treatment, for example to a stapling machine.

With this and other objects in view l provide an applying machine for the paper industry comprising in combination: a stacking chute for the folded paper sheets, a motor driven drum rotating at uniform velocity about a horizontal axis in front of the delivery end of the said chute and having a circumferential slot extending over part of its circumference, a gripper mechanism arranged in the said drum and partly projecting through the said slot, sinusoidally variable gearing coupling the said gripper mechanism to the said drum and driving the said mechanism at a velocity varying between zero and twice the velocity of the said drum so that the said mechanism performs one revolution for each revolution of the said drum and cornes practically to a standstill in front of the said chute at each revolution, moving upwardly from there at an accelerated rate, a suction member arranged between the said chute and the said drum and cooperating with the said gripper mechanism at the phase of its standstill in gripping the foremost of the folded papers stacked in the said chute, and conveyer means moving adjacent the side of the said drum opposite the said chute in a direction parallel to the axis thereof, the said gripper mechanism depositing the said folded sheets individually in succession on the said conveyor means.

These and other objects and features of my invention will be clearly understood yfrom the yfollowing description of an embodiment thereof given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a section along the axis of the machine,

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a section corresponding to 1Fig. 2 in another phase of the cycle,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic elevation of the machine as seen from the side of the stack.

The machine comprises a drum shaped casing which is iixedly connected for rotation with the motor-driven driving shaft 1, which is rotatably journalled in stationary walls 2n, 2b.

The drum-casing 11i has in the middle of its length a circumferential slot 11 which extends over approximately Ihalf of its circumference. The wall opposite this slot 11 is formed with a radially inward extending recess 12.

ln the transverse plane of this circumferential slot 11 and of this circumferential recess 12, respectively, the common hub 13 of two gripper bars 13a, 13b is mounted on the shaft 1 of the drum freely rotatably but restrained axially, the end fac 13C of the said gripper bars projecting at least partly beyond the outer circumferential contour of the drum 1Q from the slot 11 thereof.

One of the said gripper bars 13a has a radial slot 13d into which engages `a pin 14 which is xed eccentrically ice on a planet shaft 15 journalled in the drum-casing lil, parallel to the shaft 1 of the drum. A planet pinion 15a tixedly mounted on the said planet shaft 15 meshes with a stationary sungear pinion 16 of the same dimensions and mounted co-axially to the drum-shaft, so that the planet shaft 15 and the members xedly connected thereto for rotation perform a revolution about themselves during each revolution of the drum-shaft 1 and of the drumcasing 10.

Thereby the eccentric pin 14 engaging into the slot 13d of the gripper bar 13a carries the gripper assembly 13 along in a non-homogenous rotary motion. Since the radial spacing of the eccentric pin 14 from the planet shaft is somewhat larger than the pitch circle radius of the planet pinion 15a, a short temporary standstill in the ro tary motion of the gripper assembly results in the position illustrated in Fig. l of the members, which corresponds to Fig. 2.

On a shaft which is rotatably journalled parallel to the drum shaft 1 in the gripper bars 13a, 13b, two grippers 136:1 and 130b are keyed, the outer ends 136C of which are angularly turned towards one another, and are designed to arrest a sheet of paper in co-operation with the end faces 13C of the gripper bars. A feeler lever 131 lixedly mounted on the shaft 131i is constantly biased by a tension spring 132 against the control face of a cam disc 13 which is tixedly connected for rotation to the planet shaft 15.

The cam disc 18 rotating in unison with the planet shaft 15 is designed to lift the gripper ends 136C off the end face 13C of the gripper bars during part of a revolution of the drum.

Between the drum 10 and a stationary stacking device 20 to be described later a carrier shaft 21 of a suction member 21) is pivotally mounted parallel to the drum shaft 1 in stationary bearings, which suction member is connected through a longitudinal bore in the shaft 21 and a suction hose 211 to an air suction pump. A feeler lever 212 xedly mounted on the shaft 21 carries a follower roller 213 which is forced by the bias of a tension spring 215 against a portion of the drum casing 1d designed as a :control face 214.

The stacking device comprises a high stack carrier chute 201, adjustable in its angle of slope, on which the paper units P are stacked with their diagonals substantially vertical. ln the embodiment illustrated the assumption has been made that these paper units P are pre-folded sheets to be stapled, which are inserted in the stack carrier chute 201 in such a manner that their backs PR assume the position as illustrated in Fig. 4.

These sheets P are to be transferred singly by the machine from the stack to a conveyer means 23 which has the object of transporting the sheets to a stapling machine.

On the stationary walls 2a, 2b (Figs. l and 4) a rod 3 is mounted which carries .guide rails 4 overlapping the drum 10.

The manner of operation of the device described will be explained hereinafter with reference to Figs. 2 and 3:

In the position of the components according to Fig. 2 the control face 214 of the drum casing had immediately previously tilted the suction member 210 inwardly into the position relative to the drum as shown, having attracted one half P1 of the foremost paper sheet on to the Working end faces 13C of the gripper assembly.

The cam disc 18 has released the gripper 130 so that its arms 130C force the half P1 of the sheet against the end faces 13C of the gripper.

in this position, the gripper bars 13a, 13b are practically at a standstill approximately in the middle of the slot 11 of the drum, since the pin 14 stands then at the inner end of the slot 13d. Consequently they can grip the sheet P safely. From then on the gripper assembly begins however to turn atan accelerated rate in the clockwise sense, the leading edge 12a of the drum portion 12 approaching the gripper assembly.

In this phase of motion the paper -sheet P held fast by the ygripper is pulled out upwardly from the stacking chute carrier 2t?, and is pressed by the guide rails 4 vagainst the circumference of the'drum casing.

In the position of the components according to Fig. 3,V

the sheet P begins to slip on to the conveyer means 23, the outer part P2 thereof coming to rest on the outer face of a roof shaped link of this conveyer means while the inner'part P1 is still held by the gripper members.

Then the cam Vdisc 1S begins to release the grippers 130:1, 13019, 139e. Since in this 'position the pin 14 lies in the outer part of the slot 13d, the grippery mechanism moves in this phase at a 'higher rotational speed than the drum casing so that it detaches itself from the sheet P and the latter slips on to the conveyer means 23, which carries it along, for exampie to a stapling machine.

While I have herein described `and illustrated in the accompanying drawings 'what may be considered a typical and particularly favorable embodiment of my said invention, I wish it to be understood that l do not limit myself to the particular details and dimensions described and illustrated, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. K

What'l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. An applying machine for the paper industry comprising in combination: a stacking chute for folded paper sheets, a motor-driven drum rotating at uniform velocity about a horizontal axis in front of the delivery end of the said chute and having a circumferential slot extending over part of its circumference, a gripper mechanism arranged in the said drum and partly projecting through the said slot, sinusoidally variable 'fearing coupling the said gripper mechanism to the said drum and driving the said mechanism at a velocity varying between zero and twice the velocity of the said drum so that the said mechanism performs one revolution for each revolution of the 4 said drum and comes practically to a standstill in front of the said chute at each revolution, moving upwardly from there at an accelerated rate, a suction member arranged between the said chute and the said drum and cooperating with the said gripper mechanism at the phase of its standstill in gripping the'tforemost of the folded papers stacked in the said chute, and conveyer means moving adjacent the side of the said drum opposite the said chute in a direction'parallel to the axis thereof, the said gripper mechanismk depositing the said folded sheets individually in succession on the said conveyer means.y

2. An applying machine, as Vclaimed in claim l, Ycomprising in addition: a control shaft mounted rotatably about an axis parallel to the axis of the said drum and carrying the said suction member, a follower arm lixedly mounted on the said control shaft, and co-operating 3. An applying machine, as claimed in claim l, com- Y prising a drum shaft connected for rotation with the said drum, a planet shaft rotatably journalled parallel to the said drum shaft in the said drum, a planet gear pinion connected for rotation with the said planet shaft, a sun'gcar pinion mounted co-axially on the said drum shaft, a pin mounted eccentrically on the said planet sha-ft at a radius exceeding that of the pitch circle of the said planet gear pinion, the said gripper mechanism being mounted idly on the said drum shaft and having a radial slot engaged by the said eccentrically mounted pin.

4. An applying machine as claimed in claim 3, comprising in addition: a yearn disc mounted for rotation on the said planet shaft and co-operating with the said gripper mechanism controlling the degree of projecting thereof through the slot in thesaid drum.

References Spited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 21,489 Kleinberg et al ,a June 25, Y1940 1,961,401 Steinmann lune 5, 1934 2,145,520 McFarlaille Jan. 3l, 1939V 2,568,604 BeChberger Sept. 18, i951 

